How to Define a Lead

To build out your lead generation strategy, you need to start with the basics. First of all, what is a lead? Every organization will have their own definition of a “good lead”. If you don’t know yours, lead generation 101 is where you need to begin.

There are many definitions of a lead, and there are even more definitions of a “good lead”. According to Marketo, in our own revenue cycle, a lead is “a qualified prospect that is starting to exhibit buying behavior”. But the sales and marketing team don't always agree on what constitutes "buying behavior", which is why it's so important to come to agreed-upon qualifications.

Read our new ebook for lead generation tips and best practices, including:

The process of coming to an agreed-upon lead definition between marketing and sales

How demographics, firmographics, and BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline) affect lead qualification